Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c7.s2.t1.131

c7.s2.t1.131

the following sixteen items of female toilet which Abu'l Fazl considers as the minimum for a respectable lady : a bath, an oil massage, the dressing of her hair, putting an ornament on her forehead together with sandal-wood paste, a suitable dress, a caste-mark, antimony for the eyes, pendants for the ears, a pearl or a gold nose-ring, some ornament for her neck otherwise a garland, henna for the hands, a girdle for the waist preferably with tiny bells, some ornament for the feet, the chewing of betel-leaf, and finally a studied grace of manners.¹ A similar list of male decorations is given as follows : a properly kept beard, a clean and properly washed body, the *tilaka* mark on the forehead, rubbing of scents and scented oil over the body, gold earrings, a suitable tunic (*qaba*) with bands on the left side, the golden ends of a turban or a *mukuta* (kara) tucked up in front, a seathed sword which was carried in the hand, a dagger tied to the waist, a finger-ring, proper foot-wear, and finally the chewing of betel-leaf.²